High precision polishing of optics using an industrial robot

该项目是维多利亚大学(UVIC)**和动态光学(DO)先前实施的Engage项目的延续。更大、更强大的望远镜需要更大、更轻、更高精度的反射镜，而这些反射镜不能用现有技术制造。该项目的目的是开发一种**创新的机器人非接触抛光技术，能够抛光**纳米级表面粗糙度的大尺寸曲面镜。**新的抛光技术将通过在力控制机器人系统中集成确定性抛光工具来开发。流体动力、确定性抛光工具(Hydra)使用**磨料浆液的径向喷射来去除光学表面的材料。这种抛光工具安装在**六轴机器人机械手上，该机械手在预定义的轨迹上移动工具，以去除**曲面光学元件表面的多余材料。机器人系统配备了一个力控制系统，以保持**正常的抛光力为零，从而实现零力抛光过程。在这个合作项目的第一阶段，开发了一个优化的六维力控制系统，并设计了一个自动化的浆料供应系统。在此Engage Plus中提出的项目的第二阶段，将完成优化**抛光系统的开发，并将进行性能表征和验证测试。

This project is the continuation of the previous Engage project conducted by the University of Victoria (UVic)**and Dynamic Optics (DO). Larger and more powerful telescopes require large, light weight, and high precision**mirrors that cannot be manufactured using the existing technologies. The aim of this project is to develop an**innovative robotic non-contact polishing technology that is capable of polishing large size curved mirrors with**nano-scale surface roughness.**The new polishing technology will be developed by integrating a deterministic polishing tool in a force**controlled robotic system. The hydrodynamic, deterministic polishing tool (HyDRa), employs a radial jet of**abrasive slurry fluid to remove material from the surface of the optic. This polishing tool is mounted on a**six-axis robotic manipulator that moves the tool on a predefined trajectory to remove the excess material from**the surface of the curved optic. The robotic system is equipped with a force control system to maintain the**normal polishing forces at zero, leading to zero-force polishing process. In the first stage of this collaborative**project, an optimized 6-axis force control system was developed and an automated slurry supply system was**designed. In the second stage of the project, proposed in this Engage Plus, the development of the optimized**polishing system will be finalized and performance characterization and verification tests will be performed.